Folding chair construction



Nv.24, 1942. J,B,AD| ER 42,303,189

' FOLDING CHAIR vCONSTRUCTION Filed NOV. 24, 1959 34- ILL v INVENTOR.

/- @TTORNEK Patented Nov. 24, 1942 FOLDINGI CHAIR CONSTRUCTION John B. Adler, Muncie, Ind., assignor to Shwayder Bros. Inc., Denver, Colo., a corporation of Colorado Application November 24, 1939, Serial No'. 305,911

Claims. (Cl. 155-142) My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a folding chair construction adapted for use on folding chairs which are adapted for being folded into compact position when not in use and which may be extended into unfolded position when in use.

A common construction in folding chairs involves the use of front legs and rearlegs swingably connected together and having associated therewith a rockably mounted seat which is adapted to fold into substantial alignment with the legs when the legs are brought into substantial contacting alignment with each other. In this type of construction, swinging of the seat on its pivot effects a swinging of the legs, relatively to each other, either into folded or unfolded position. In many places where a folding chair is used, such as in auditoriums, 'theaters and the like, it is desirable and in some cases required that the seat be swingable on its mountings upwardly into inoperative position in order to afford clearance to a person passing while, at the same time, the legs remain in operative position.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a construction of this type whereby the seat may be swung into upwardly extended or inoperative position without disturbing the relative position of the legs after they have been swung into unfolded position. g

` Another object of the invention is the provision of a chair construction whereby a seat may be pivotally mounted intermediate its ends to supporting legs intermediate their ends in such a manner that the seat may be swung upwardly into inoperative position without disturbing the relative position of the legs and which, when swung further upwardly, will effect a movement of the legs into folded position.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a folding chair having relatively movable front and rear legs and provided witha seat pivotally mounted between the front legs and connected by a toggle connection to the rear legs by means of a slot and cam connection whereby the seat may be rocked on its pivotal mounting. while the legs are in unfolded position, to a predetermined position, and, whereby upon further tilting of the seat on its pivot Vin the same direction, the legs will be moved relatively to each i other and brought into compact folded position.

Other objects will appear hereinafter. The invention will be best understood by a reference to the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification, and in which, i

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view ofthe tion in unfolded position, Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the invention showing the seatl tilted to inoperative position while the legs arein unfolded position, Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the chair in fully folded position, Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view slightly enlarged showing the position illustrated inFig. 1, l Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side-elevational View slightly enlarged showing an vintermediate position between the positions illustrated in Fig. 1 andl Fig.2,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view slightly enlarged showing the position illustrated in Fig. 2, n i Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing thefolding in a further advanced step,v Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side elevational Lview slightly enlarged showing the parts in the position illustrated in Fig. 3, i

. Fig. 9 is a slightly `enlarged sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 3, I

Fig, 10 is a slightly enlargedfragmentary sec-.- tional view taken on line Ill-I0 ofFig. `l and,

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary slightly enlarged sectionalview taken on line II--II of Fig. 1.` l In the drawing I have "illustrated the chair embodying a pair of side legs Handi I8 constructed preferably from a single piece of metal and formed U-shaped to provide the bight-IB.

.A back rest is mounted on the upperportion of these legs. Extended between the legs` Il and I 8 and pivoted thereto, by meansv of a suitable pivot pin 2I, is a seat 22, the lseat being'piv# oted intermediate its ends between the legs I'I and I8 intermediate their ends.` A pair of rear legs 23 and 24 is provided, these legsl being con.- nected by the cross rods 25 and 26 which pro ject through the legs and serve to connect them together. 24'are pivotally connected to the legs I'I and I8 above the point of pivot of the seat 22 thereon by means of a U-shaped clip 21, one of the legs of which project through the legs 23 and 24 and is secured thereto in fixed relation. The other leg of this U-shape clip extends through the legs I1 and I8 and pivots thereon,

Pivotally mounted on the inner face of each of the rear legs 23 and 24, by means of a suitable pivot pin 28, is a toggle link 29 having an arcuate slot 30 formed therein through which the rod 26 projects. 'I'his link 29 is spaced from the leg 23 by the spacing member |29. YThis toggle OFFICE? The upper ends of the legs 23 and link 29 is pivotally connected by a pin 32 to one end of a toggle link 33, the other end of which Ais pivotally connected to a tongue 34 which exdownwardly into operative position, the togglev links will have been collapsed so that they overlie each other, the tongue 34 engaging the under surface of the rod 26. legs are in unfolded position, as shown in Fig. l, the seat 22 may be swung upwardly into inoperative position as shown in Fig. 2. e It will be noted, that the toggle comprising the links 29 and 33 is broken and further swinging upwardly of the seat 22 tends to move these toggle links at their pivoted point towards alignment. The pivot 35, by which the link '33 is connected to the ltongue 34, is swinging on the rod 2| as a pivot so that theV circle defined by the pivot 35 has a radius extending from the pivot 35 to the pivot 2 I. The arc defined by this radius swinging on the shaft 2| would be within the arc defined by the straightened out toggle swinging on the pivot 26 as a center. Consequently, when the position is reached shown in Fig. 2, the toggle will bind and further swinging of the seat, 22 upwardly into inoperative position while the point of the pivot 26-is fixed will be resisted by the toggle binding. Consequently, when the chair is in fully unfolded position, the seat 22 may be swung upwardly into the position shown in Fig. 2 and it will bind in that position without disturbing the unfolded position of the chair proper. Thus, it becomes possible to swing the seat of the unfolded chair to operative and inoperative position without disturbing the folded position of the chair.

When the seat 22 has been swung to the position shown in Fig. 2, a rocking of the chair on the front legs so as to lift the rear legs clear,

permits a further upward swinging of the seat 22 and this will move the legs 23 and 24 into approach with the front legs I 1 and I8 until the seat 22 lies between the front legs I'I and I8 in alignment therewith and the legs 23 and 24 are in substantial engagement with their aligned legs I1 and I8. At this point the toggle will be straight. Thus, the chair may be folded into compact position with the toggle cooperating for retaining the chair in compact folded position. As shown in Figs. 5, 6, l and 8 a swinging of the seat from operative to inoperative position moves the toggle through various positions. In Fig. 6 the links are substantially in alignment and in Fig.r 'l the toggle breaks in a direction opposite to the direction it is broken in Fig. as the link 29 rocks on its pivot 28 in response to the lifting pressure on seat 22. A further swinging of the seat from the position shown in Fig. 7 to move to the position shown in Fig. 8 will cause the rear legs to swing forwardly and thus'the link 29 to further roCk on its pivot 28 until the ro-d 26 engages the end 39 of the slot. When this takes place a further swinging of the seat to folded position, as shown in Fig. 8, will swing the rear legs upwardly on their pivotsand the seat structure as shown in Fig. 8 will swing beyond center leaving the toggle slightly broken in the reverse direction.` Thus, the toggleserves to resist swinging of the seat structure out c-f folded position. The weight of the rear legs is When the front and rear` downwardly on the pin 28 which has a tendency to break the toggle to the left of Fig. 8, but in order to break in this manner the link 29 would have to swing further to the left at its bottom and on the pivot 28 and this is stopped by 'the member 26 engaging the end of the slot. Thus it is seen that the arcuate slot 30 serves as an abutment member at its opposite ends for engaging the rod 26'. The end 30' of the slot 30 engages the rod when the chair is in unfolded position. The end 30" prevents undue spreading apart of the legs so that when it is desired to lower'the seat into operative position, the legs cannot be spread apart beyond the proper distance. There is thus provided a pair of spaced stops on the toggle link 29 fo-r engaging the rod 26.

I recognize that various changes and modifications may be made in the detail of structure of the invention without departing from the scope of the-invention and it is my intention that such variations and changes as may be made shall be embraced in the claims attached hereto.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a foldable chair construction of the class described, a pair ofv spaced front legs; a seat member pivotally mounted. intermediate its ends, on said legs intermediate their ends and extending between the same; a pair of spaced apart rear legs, each of said rear legs being pivotally connected adjacent its upper end to a corresponding front leg; a toggle connection pivotally connectedr at one end to a rear leg and at its opposite end to the rear of said seat member, the links of said toggle being in overlying relation upon swinging of said seat member to operative position and being swung outwardly into separated relation upon swinging of said seat member into inoperative position.

2. In a foldable chair construction of the class described, comprising: a pair of spaced apart front legs; a seat member pivotally mounted, intermediate its ends, on said front legs intermediate their ends and projecting between said legs; a pair of rear legs, each of said rear legs being pivotally mounted adjacent its upper end to a corresponding front leg above the location of the seat member; a toggle connection between said seat member and each of said rear legs, said toggle connection comprising a pair of pivotally mounted links, one of said links being pivotally connected at its free end to a rear leg and the other of said links being pivotally connected at its free end to said seat member, said links being, upon movement of said seat member to operative position, swung into overlying relation and upon upward swinging of the forward end of said seat y member into inoperative position being moved into distended position, with the pivot of said toggle swung towards the line of centers of the other link pivots.

3. A foldable chair construction of the class described, comprising: a pair of spaced apart front legs; a pair of rear legs, each of said rear legs being pivotally connected, adjacent its upper end, to a corresponding front leg, said legs being movable relatively to each other and foldable into substantial engagement with each other when in inoperative position and foldable into spread apart relation when in operative position; a seat member pivotally mounted, intermediate its ends, between said front legs intermediate their ends and below.the point of ccnnection of. the said rear legs with the said front legs, said seat member'being rockable on its pivot to operative and inoperative position without disturbing the spaced apart relation of said legs; means for limiting the swinging movement of said seat member to operative position; and toggle and stop means connecting said rear legs and said seat member for resisting the swinging of said seat member to inoperative position beyond a predetermined distance.

4. A foldable chair construction of the class described, comprising: a pair of spaced apart front legs; a pair of rear legs, each of said rear legs being pivotally connected, adjacent its upper end, to a corresponding front leg, said legs being movable relatively to each other and foldable into substantial engagement with each other when in inoperative position and foldable into spread apart relation when in operative position; a seat member pivotally mounted, intermediate its ends, between said front legs intermediate their ends and below `the point of connection of the said rear legs with the said front legs, said seat member being rockable on its pivot to operative and inoperative position without disturbing the spaced apart relation of said legs; means for limiting the swinging movement of said seat member to operative position, and eiective upon the swinging of said seat member to inoperative position beyond a predetermined distance for moving said rear legs into approach with said front legs; a rod for connecting said rear legs together in spaced apart relation, said toggle having an arcuate slot formed therein and said rod projecting through said slot.

5. A foldable chair construction of the class described, comprising: a pair of spaced apart front legs; a pair of rear legs, each of said rear legs being pivotally connected adjacent its upper end to a corresponding front leg, said legs being movable relatively to each other and foldable into substantial engagement and parallel relation with each other when in inoperative position and foldable into spread apart relation when in operative position; a seat member pivotally mounted intermediate its ends, between said front legs intermediate their ends and below the point of connection of said rear legs with said front legs, said seat member being rockable on its pivot into operative and inoperative position without disturbing the spaced apartrelation of said legs; a pair of toggles each pivotally connected at one end to a rear leg and at its opposite end to said seat member adjacent its rear edge for resisting the swinging of said seat member to inoperative position beyond a predetermined distance, said toggle comprising a pair of links, there being formed in the link pivoted tothe leg an arcuate slot; and an engagement member carried by and projecting from the leg and engaging in said slot and engageable with opposite ends thereof upon swinging of said seat and said legs to predetermined positions.

JOHN B. ADLER. 

